Paraiso Restaurant - dinner

Chivo (Goat) $8.99? (I am guessing about the price since it was not on the dinner menu.) You can order your meal three ways (ala carte, or with rice, beans & salad, or with fries and yellow or green plantains. The goat (with many bones) was stewed in a tomato sauce. I ordered a coffee and also flan for dessert. The Paraiso Restaurant offers Dominican/Caribbean food from 7am until 10pm (or 11pm on weekends.) Yes, interesting enough, they also offer Dominican breakfast. Delivery is available for orders over $10.00. It is located in what used to be a pizza place in a strip mall on Spring Street, just down from the movie theatre and across from Rite Aide. The is a small but adequate parking lot in the back. Currently there is a small dining room with a buffet (for lunch.) They are working on finishing a larger dining room. Make sure you try this place to expand your food horizons and support locally owned businesses.

Chatterbox - Dinner

Chatterburger ($6.99) A nice sized burger (not frozen pattie) on a roll with lettuce, tomato and onion. It comes with one side of various things such as fries, coleslaw, applesauce etc. The burger was cooked as I asked - rare (I was surprised they did it.) It was moist which probably means greasy. I also ordered onion rings which were made of sliced onions... but they were overly greasy. I drank iced tea. For dessert I ordered a hot fudge sundae which was prepared perfectly. There service was TERRIBLE. Between each step of the process there was a long wait and the place was far from crowded. Other tables were being waited on much better than mine so I left significantly less than 20% which is something I rarely do. The entrance to the dinning room is confusing with a rope making two aisles. It is not clear which aisle to enter - I think you are supposed to go left because the register is on the right. It should be better marked. The atmosphere is of the 50's drive-in. There is plenty of parking. It is located north of Newton at the intersection of 206/15/ and 265.

Hampton Diner - Dinner

Chicken Pot Pie (10.95)
This is served in a large soup bowl with a circular piece of puff pastry laid on top (not baked on as usually presented.) The chicken stew underneath is full of potatoes, a few other vegetables and large pieces of chicken. For this price, along with the pot pie, comes soup, salad and a choice of several deserts. The Hampton Diner is trying to make itself more than a diner. It has a large parking lot and is located just north of Newton on Rte 206.

Millside Cafe - Breakfast

Western Omelet ($7.95)
The omelet was served with wonderful homefries, two slices of fresh orange, and two pieces of bread. I asked for whole wheat bread and it had a good flavor (not like the usual tasteless fiber like bread.) The omelet was cooked perfectly with onions, peppers and ham (cold cuts.) The atmosphere of the place was wonderful, in an old building with casual antiques. The Millside Cafe is in Lafayette - 12 Morris Farm Road (not Olde Lafayette Village) with parking and it is surrounded by antique shops. They also serve a nice Luncheon menu.. I will definitely be back for lunch.

JC's Grillhouse - Dinner

New York Sirloin steak ($20.00)
It was with great pleasure that I saw the change in their menu. They still have the large cuts of meat but they also have a 14 oz. and a 12 oz. steak for people who don't want to chew on half of a cow. Mine was the 12 oz. steak which I asked to be cooked medium rare. It was served with freshly cooked zucchini and smashed potatoes. The bread before the meal was excellent. The entire experience was wonderful. JC's is located in the former Spring House on Spring Street in Newton with parking on the street and a public lot behind. If you are looking for a wonderful dining experience that is not overpriced for what you are getting, go in and try out the new menu at JC's

Riviero Maya - Dinner

Camarones Verdes ($15.95)
After sitting, I was presented with tortilla chips and a salsa which looked freshly ground with a good hot bite to it. After studying the extensive menu for a while I told the waiter that I was tossed between two items. I could tell from his face that they were no his favorites. He asked if I was looking for shrimps, chicken or steak. After some discussion I placed my order for shrimp Verdes. It appears looking at the menu now that I got Camarones Borrachos. The meal was served with shrimp in a green sauce with onions and a strong taste of cilantro. The sauce was nice with a strong flavor but a little too salty for my taste. It was plated with rice and refried beans. I would have liked to see more refried beans. The main course had a nice bite to it although the menu stated their food was not served spicy unless requested. After the meal, I was offered a complimentary vanilla liquor. I enjoyed my meal and will definitely return. The menu offered wide variety of dinners plus the usual Mexican fare (tacos, chimicangas, burritos, enchilados, etc.) Riviero Maya is in the former Mama Roni's north of Newton on 206 in Branchville (almost across from the Yellow Cottage Bakery.) There is adequate parking in the lot and they have a liquor license (and bar) if that interests you. The dinning room is light and airy, painted in bright Mexican colors. This is only their first week open and some of the murals on the walls are not quite finished.

Narin Thai - Dinner

Roasted Duck Curry ($13.00)
I started with an appetizer of Thai Spring rolls. They were light and crisp served with a peach sauce and a small salad. My main course was shredded duck in a red curry sauce. I ordered it "full hot" and it had a nice bite but did not blow off my head. The sauce was made with cherry tomatoes, green and red sweet peppers and of course, coconut milk and curry. It was served with sticky rice. For dessert I had sweet sticky rice with fresh mango. This three course meal was under totally under $27.00. It was wonderful and refreshing. Everything at the Narin Thai is presented beautiful and the decor is wonderful. It is located on the square at Newton with no parking lot but at dinner time there is plenty of parking on the street. This restaurant is only open for less than two weeks and I left at 6:00pm and there were four other couples dinning. I wish them well. It is a refreshing and healthy choice for Sussex County.

Hampton Diner - Dinner

Steak with Stuffed Shrimp ($17.95) As with other dinner choices here, you get soup, salad, vegetables and potato. I am not a big fan of stuffed shrimp (usually a blob of stuffing on top of the shrimp) so I took them home for lunch. I ordered the steak medium rare which I guess it was... along with being tough and with grizzle. When you go to a diner you should order diner food... well I did not this time and was disappointed. One should only order a steak in a grill place - definitely not in a diner. Unfortunately; it was raining; I wanted to get home so I broke a cardinal rule of eating out. When you go to a diner you should order diner food... well I did not this time and was disappointed. One should only order a steak in a grill place - definitely not in a diner. The Hampton Diner is just north of Newton on 206 with its own large parking lot.

Yetter's Diner - Dinner

Chicken Cassanova ($11.95)
This is two chicken breasts in a light brown gravy with large slices of mushrooms. Mozzarella cheese melted on top. It is served over pasta or rice (I ordered rice.) The dish comes with either soup or salad. I would liked to seen some vegetables also. Yetter's is typical diner food and you will be happy if that is what you are expecting. It was very busy when I was there and it is a pleasure to watch how the experienced servers work under pressure. It is an art form. Yetter's has their own parking lot and is north of Newton just past Ross's Corner on Route 206.

Narin Thai - Dinner

Hot Pepper (Pad Krapao) ($13.00) Since I am not familiar with Thai food, on the advice of the waitress, I selected an appetizer (Chicken Satay - $6.00) which was slices of chicken in a bright peanut sauce over lettuce, diced cucumbers and red onions. The entree came with either chicken or beef or $2.00 more for shrimp. I was warned about the "Thai heat" so I asked for it to be "American hot" (my term.) There was just a little bite of heat so the next time I will ask for the full Thai heat for the spicy dishes. Both the appetizer and entree were wonderful. Both the taste and textures were bright and crisp. The entree was mostly a wide variety of vegetables with four large shrimp. Since it was the first time, I also ordered coffee and dessert (fried bananas on vanilla ice cream.) It was a very interesting presentation. 2" slices of banana were wrapped in a package of pastry and fried. Two of these packages were served over two small scoops of delicious ice cream. The Narin Tai restaurant is on the square in Newton (former location of Il Baccio, Thyme Square, and Peekays.) It is a pleasant change for the area. The food is bright, crisp and healthy. The only problem is the parking... you must park on the square or street. It is a BYOB place and there is a convenient liquor store around the corner on Spring Street. I will go back. I hope it lasts, giving us some culinary variety in the area. NOTE: I went on their first Wednesday night open and it was good to see two other couples eating at 5:30. They also appear to be doing a brisk take-out business. They are open for lunch with the same menu at cheaper prices.

Everything homemade - lunch

Shrimp Salad sandwich ($7.95)
The sandwich was made on homemade toasted white bread and was served with a nice green salad. There is a poor selection of drinks. I chose a blueberry flavored green tea making the total for my lunch around $9.85. I was frankly surprised at how long it took my sandwich to appear for something that required minimal preparation. This is a trendy looking pastry shop and cafe. It is mainly a pastry shop and all the baked goods looked wonderful. The cafe menu is on a blackboard with only several items. Everything Homemade, Pastry Shop and Cafe is located in Olde Lafeyette Village so there is plenty of parking. The bakery goods look wonderful, but unless your wallet is bulging and you are looking for a trendy sandwich, I would find another place to eat for lunch.

Le Bistro III Ristorante - dinner

Rack of Lamb ($23.95)
This was admittedly a pricey entree but it was one of the specials and I just can not resist well cooked lamb. There were 8 beautifully cooked (I ordered rare) tiny cops from the rack which was served with shitake mushrooms, roasted potatoes and roasted broccoli. The entree comes with salad, pasta with a fresh red sauce and bread. It was a beautifully cooked and wonderfully presented meal. Le Bistro III is located in what used to be Memories Ice Cream Parlor in the little strip mall at the head of Woodside Avenue. There is a large parking lot. The inside of the place is painted a relaxing gold and the waiters have shirts that match the gold. If you are looking a place a little above the average with good Italian and Mediterranean fare, stop in and give this place a try. They also have wonderful luncheon specials.

Hampton Diner - Dinner

Chinese Chicken Salad (10.95)
This dinner salad is based on a bed of colorful and specialty lettuces with red, green, yellow and red sweet peppers. On top there is grilled chicken breasts prepared with a Chinese barbeque sauce, giving them the red look of Chinese grilled pork. The salad is a stunning presentation on a square plate with Chinese noodles and bread sticks. It comes with it's own Chinese dressing. This is a large dinner salad which is very satisfying. The Hampton Diner is just north of Newton on 206 with plenty of parking. They are now open until 3:00 am on Friday and Saturday night with entertainment and an open bar in the side room.

Kathy's Restaurant - Dinner

Baked Salmon ($12.95)
A nice piece of salmon was baked nicely, and came with soup or salad, vegetable (corn tonight) or potato or rice. I chose the rice which is always seasoned, this time with thyme...sometimes they are a little heavy on the rice seasoning but this time it was nice. Kathy's is a great place for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is south of Newton on 94 in Freedon in a strip mall which also has a great soft ice cream place. There is plenty of parking. If you haven't tried Kathy's, you are missing out on a nice meal (or two.. or three...)

Dee's Place - Breakfast

Sausage, Biscuit & Gravy ($5.95)
Dee' s Place (formerly known as Jim's) is located in the center of Branchville and open for breakfast and lunch. It is a classic luncheonette which serves a limited menu for its customers. Dee's serves some items one can not find in other places such as scrapple and the sausage biscuits and gravy which I ate. There were two biscuits covered with a nicely prepared white gravy containing ground sausage. This is a filling meal as an alternative to the standard breakfast fare. Dee's Place is in the center of Branchville with a tiny lot in front but plenty of parking on the streets nearby.

Yetter's Diner - Dinner

Chicken Pot Pie ($9.95)
This is a hearty chicken pot pie with big chunks of chicken, carrots, potatoes and also peas and onions under what appears to be a freshly backed crust. With it you also get a soup or salad. Yetters is a classic large diner. The food is good and the waitresses are generally pleasant. I must say though, don't go to a diner expecting to get anything other than diner food. It is good for what it is. If you see anything near fancy on a diner menu, it is probably best not to order it. Enjoy diners for what that are and stick to diner food. Yetters is just past Ross's corner north on 206 in Augusta. If you have never been there, you need to drop in.

Hampton Diner - Dinner

(Broiled Cajun Swordfish $14.95 - special)
At the Hampton Diner, (specials off the board at the entrance) include choice of a soup/salad/choice of a vegetable/potato or rice/ entree/ choice of selected desserts and also a glass of red or white wine. If you get a special, you may have to ask for the wine because it is not always offered. My meal was cooked fine. The fish was grilled nicely with cajun spices. The Hampton Diner, just north of Newton on Rte. 206 is a one step above a regular diner with pleasant servers. There is excellent parking.

Kathy's Restaurant - Dinner

Liver Onions ($9.50)
I had a dinner special (liver & onions) which came with soup or salad / vegetables / and baked, mashed, fried potatoes or rice. I also purchased coffee and key lime pie for dessert. The liver (2 nice pieces) onions and bacon (4 slices, cooked just right) was prepared just as my mother used to make it. It brought back a flood of memories. The side dishes (mashed potatoes and veggies) were served in those silly little side dishes.. something which I hate, but that is the way these kind of places serve their food. The whole bill, including tax was $13.50. Kathy's is a little goldmine of a luncheonette much like the ones from years past. They are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It is located out on Route 94 in Freedon on the right going out past Andersonhill Road in the Freedon Plaza (which also has a great ice cream place if you are so inclined.) The have a large parking lot, so join the crowd filling up that lot.

JC's Grill House - Dinner

Grilled Salmon (entree $19.00)
I was excited to go to the place which was formerly "The Spring House." I love well grilled meat and was looking forward to a steak or pork chop done on the grill. They had both, but they were huge. There were several large steaks (one was 20 oz) and a 16 oz pork chop. That is way too much to eat for me... so I ended up the the grilled salmon. It was prepared excellently with chunk crab meat in a cream sauce over one side of the fish. It was served with beautifully prepared fresh vegetables. I also ate a house salad ($3.00) coffee ($1.50) and bread pudding for desert ($6.00). Everything I ate and saw was prepared excellently but I just wish they also offered a human-sized steak (nice NY strip, shell, or strip steak) of a reasonable size rather than everything the size of half a cow or pig. While it is not a cheap place to eat (everything is ala carte), I do not feel it was overpriced for the quality of the food. The JC Grill House is on Spring Street in Newton in what used to be the Spring House and before that, the Waldemere. There is parking on the street and a public lot behind it. Give it a shot for a special occasion.

Greco's Italian Deli - Lunch Sandwich

Italian Sub #2 ($3.95)
This is by far the best sub in Sussex County! It has a nice roll, whole romaine lettuce (not shredded) and a nice balance of meat. I always get it with Lettuce, Tomato, Onions, Hot Peppers, Oil & Vinegar. This Deli has man frozen meals which they make themselves and freeze. They also make and freeze their own sauce. It is located in the Sussex County Mall on 206 north of Newton (where Sears and Staples are)

Hampton Diner - Breakfast

Tex-Mex wrap, coffee. (Under $10.00) - This is a filling breakfast wrap with eggs, cheese, bacon, onions, peppers, and hot peppers. It is not for people who don't like hot things. It comes with home fries and I usually ask for them to be prepared extra crispy. The coffee is always good and the staff is pleasant. This place is in the process of being remodeled and looks great. It is right on Route 206 north of Newton with its own large parking lot.